China's Bo Xilai charged with bribery, embezzlement, power abuse

Beijing: Disgraced politician Bo Xilai, who was once a rising star in the Communist Party, has been charged with bribery, embezzlement and power abuse, the authorities said Thursday.

The indictment was delivered to the Jinan City Intermediate People's Court Thursday, Xinhua reported, citing Jinan City People's Procuratorate in east China's Shandong province.

Bo, as a civil servant, took advantage of his position to seek profits for others and accepted an "extremely large amount" of money and properties, the indictment said.

He also embezzled a huge amount of public money and abused his power, seriously harming the interests of the state and people, the document added.

Bo had been informed of his legal rights and interviewed by prosecutors. His defending counsels also delivered their opinions, prosecutors said.

China was last year rocked by a major scandal involving Bo, who was accused of taking advantage of his position to seek profits for others and received huge bribes personally or through his family. His position was utilised by his wife to seek profits for others, and the Bo family accepted a huge amount of money and property from others. He was also found to have violated organisational and personnel disciplines and made erroneous decisions in certain promotions, resulting in serious consequences, Xinhua had earlier reported.

The CPC Central Committee announced in April 2012 that it had decided to suspend Bo's membership as he was suspected of being involved in serious violations of discipline. The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection also filed a case for investigation.

Last September, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee decided to expel Bo from the CPC and his public office. The bureau also decided to transfer Bo's suspected law violations and relevant evidence to judicial organs.

Bo, 64, also formerly served as mayor of Dalian, governor of northeast China's Liaoning Province and China's minister of commerce.